It's My Party (And I'll Cry If I Want To)
by J Elise
Summary: Hardison misses an important event in Parker's life, so she's left to cope the only way she knows how: getting drunk. However, when the wrong person hits on her at the bar, it's Eliot and the Leverage team to the rescue as they take down a powerful sex ring leader who is hellbent on making Parker his own.
1. U and UR Hand

**Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage. Dean Devlin and TNT do. So don't sue.**

 **Author's Note: Hello all! I haven't decided if this is going to be a one shot or if I'm going to add a few more chapters. So please review if you want to read more!**

 **Part One: Telephone – Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce**

 **Part Two: U + UR Hand – Pink**

 **Part Three: It's My Party (And I'll Cry If I want To) – Amy Winehouse**

* * *

 **Part One: Telephone**

 **Eliot's Apartment**

"Hello?" Eliot growled as he snatched up the phone in his apartment. It was supposed to be his day off, but things weren't going as planned.

"Hi, is this Eliot Spencer?"

"Depends on whose askin'." The hitter warned. He wasn't admitting anything that would interrupt his peace of mind.

"Look I'm really sorry to bother you, but it's Cora. From the bar?"

 _Hmmm…maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all…_ "Alright, ya got me." Eliot drawled flirtatiously. "What can I do for ya sweetheart?"

"Uh…I need you to come down here right away. Your friend is super drunk, and I can't get her upstairs by myself."

"Friend?" Eliot echoed, confused. He had a lot of friends, but most of them could hold their liquor. "What exactly does this friend look like?"

"Um…skinny, blonde hair, pony tail, dressed in black. I would tell you her name, but she won't give it to me."

With a sinking feeling, Eliot described the one person he hoped to God it wasn't. "Petite blonde? Slippery when you try to get a hold of her? Answers to the name of Parker?

"Her ID says Alice White."

"That's her." Eliot sighed, making a face.

"Please, Mr. Spencer, you have to help me. I've tried talking to her, but she won't even look my way. On the other hand, she and the coat rack are getting along famously."

"Of course they are." Eliot muttered. "Why did you call **me**?"

"Well, I overheard her…uh…conversation – if you could call it that. She was talking about her friends Hardison and Eliot. I know I should have called Hardison, but yours is the only number I could find."

"Perfect." _There went his day off._

Do you want to talk to her?"

"No. Better to catch her off guard. Otherwise she'll bolt. I'll be there in five. Don't tell her I'm coming."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The dial tone was her only answer apart from a barely contained "Dammit Parker."

* * *

 **Part Two: Pink – U + UR Hand**

 **McRory's Bar**

"YOU BITCH!"

Everyone turned to stare at the man Parker had just punched in the face. To be fair he'd had it coming. His hand hadn't left her backside in the past 30 seconds, so she'd decided to forcibly remove it.

"You STUPID whore!" He cried, holding his bloody nose. "And to THINK I was doing you a favor. Next time I'll find someone who I don't feel sorry for. I know you're not much in the looks department, but who knew you were a psycho to boot?"

That did it.

Parker's vision started to blur. Whether it was from holding back tears or from knocking back the alcohol she couldn't tell. All she knew was that Hardison was on a date, and there was no one she could turn to for guidance.

The team was supposed to be taking a break before the next big job. Hence Sophie and Nate were on vacation under strict orders not to be bothered. Eliot was nowhere to be found; and, she didn't think he'd appreciate playing nursemaid to her anyhow. She'd probably just piss him off. Again.

But that's how it always went. She tended to bring out the worst in people…especially when she was upset. That was exactly the reason she'd decided to entrust her feelings to inanimate objects; and, since Bunny wasn't here, she went for the next best thing. At least "Mr. Hat" wouldn't judge her for being awkward and confused and sad.

The same couldn't be said for the unlucky person yelling up a storm in front of her. She'd been perfectly fine talking to the coat rack until this jackass had started hitting on her.

Naturally, she wanted to kill him. However, the damn tears were starting to get in the way. Nobody had spoken to her like that in a long time, and she was bound and determined to give as good as she'd got.

Though, no sooner did she open her mouth to retort than she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Once again, she picked up her butter knife, poised and ready to strike. Only she never got the chance.

"Parker." Eliot acknowledged, clearing his throat to signal the fact that he was right behind her. The knife dropped as he grabbed her wrist – just hard enough to make her lose her grip. "This guy bothering you?"

The blonde practically swayed on her feet. Clearly she was inebriated…but she wouldn't let Eliot see that. "I can handle it Sparky."

"Maybe so. But you shouldn't have to." Eliot turned his menacing gray-green eyes on the guy who was about to get his ass kicked. "Besides, I'm part owner and that means I reserve the right to throw certain morons out on their ass."

Parker took a tiny bit of satisfaction as the guy's face turned three shades of pale.

"Don't bother." He stammered. "I'll leave on my own. Good luck with this bitch though." He cursed under his breath.

Eliot stepped directly in front of his escape route. "What did you just call her?"

"You heard me." He stated clearly, a bit louder this time.

"You kiss your momma with that mouth?"

"My mother's deceased." The man answered smartly.

Eliot cracked his knuckles, relishing the involuntary flinch that came with that sound.

"That's just as well, because if you open your mouth one more time you're gonna end up joining her."

Stepping behind the man, he managed to grab a fistful of the guy's shirt while escorting him towards the door. In true fashion, he literally shoved the man's ass out of the opening with his foot. Satisfied with the thud on the sidewalk, he turned and made his way back to Parker.

* * *

 **Part Three: It's My Party – Amy Winehouse**

 **McRory's Bar**

He found her wiping off snot on a napkin. It was the only way he could tell that she'd been crying.

"You know you can't just go around stabbing people when you get spooked." He began.

Parker rolled her eyes. "I **wasn't** spooked. **You** snuck up on **me**. And not very well I might add."

"I could have been the barkeep."

"You're not sloppy enough to be the barkeep."

Cora (who was watching the entire exchange) glared sideways at her.

Warning her with a shake of his head, Eliot took charge. "It's alright Cora. I got it from here."

Parker scowled back at the bartender, quickly realizing who exactly was to blame for this unexpected babysitting service.

"I don't see why I can't stab people who stalk me. You do it all the time."

"Yeah. To people who deserve it. Not innocent bystanders."

"That guy totally deserved it."

"Yeah, but what did I do?

"Well you shouldn't have snuck up on me and Mr. Hat like that."

"Mr. H-…?"

Parker unsteadily pointed to her new best friend. The coat rack. And laughed.

Eliot's mouth opened and closed as he fished for something to say. For some unknown reason, the first words out of his mouth were "Has Hardison been letting you watch South Park again?"

The last time Parker had watched the show, she'd nearly burned down the apartment. All because she thought it would be funny to make little construction paper Kennys – trying to kill them all in various ways. The tipping point was when he had gone to use the microwave and practically started a fire thanks to yet another poorly placed doll.

"For your information, no." Parker retaliated. "Hardison hasn't been letting me do much of anything lately. Mostly because he hasn't been around."

"You know Hardison." The hitter coaxed, trying his best to be sympathetic. He's probably off somewhere playing World of Warcraft. More likely in a diabetic coma from all that orange soda he's been downing."

"I wish." Parker snorted. "But he's not. He's on a date."

"He actually got a date? With who?" Seeing Parker's annoyed look, he quickly amended it with "No offence…"

"None taken Sparky. He's with that slut from the coffeehouse. He left me alone today Eliot. Today of all days. I mean, it's my fuck-...my fuckin- … More tears welled up and she couldn't bring herself to finish.

Eliot pulled up a stool and sat down across from her, careful not to touch her inadvertently.

"Here. Drink this." He ordered. "Then try again."

Parker downed the glass of water in one shot. She was clearly expecting vodka because one eye was open and she was eyeing the contents in disgust.

"I don't wanna be sober."

"You don't have a choice. You're going to talk to me instead of the damn coat rack."

"Mr. Hat."

"Whatever!" Eliot burst out, quickly losing his patience. Taking a deep breath he tried again.

"What's going on Parker? Why are you so antsy?"

"Because." She whispered.

"Because why?"

"Because it's Alice's birthday today." She bit out.

"What's so important about a made up date?"

"You don't understand! Alice's birthday is **my** birthday." She intoned.

"Parker…Alice is just an alias."

"I KNOW that. But her birthday ISN'T made up. It's MY birthday. I'M Alice." She blurted. "Look, I don't know when my real birthday is, but Alice knows when hers is. So her birthday is the same as mine."

"You mean you don't know your own birth date? Are you telling me you never even looked at your birth certificate?"

"I don't **have** a birth certificate. I don't even know who my mom is. She was homeless when she had me. There's no record. Trust me I checked. I even had Hardison check. There's nothing. NOTHING. And he knows how important this day is. He KNOWS. And he big fat left anyway."

"That's because Hardison is an idiot. I couldn't tell ya if he's being stupid on purpose, because half the time it's hard to tell. But for the most part he's just oblivious."

"Yeah, I got that loud and clear." Parker snuffled. Snot was getting the better of her again. "But I told Mr. Hat all about it. He didn't argue with me, not once. You should try talking to him too. I bet he could help you with your anger issues."

"I DON'T HAVE…!" Taking a deep breath, Eliot composed himself before he went postal. "Come on Parker, it's time to say goodbye to Mr. Hat."

"I don't wanna!"

"Trust me, you do."

"Leave me alone Eliot." She tried pushing him off his chair, but ended up falling off of hers instead.

Eliot did his level best not to laugh. Instead, he got a hold of her arm and pulled her into a fireman's carry over his shoulder. "You're too drunk to fight. Besides, where I'm going, there's cake. And coffee. Lots and lots of coffee."

"Put me down!" She slurred. Not that it made a difference.

"You gonna make me?" He challenged, knowing full well she couldn't. "I'll make it worth your while. Soon as you get sober, I'm throwing you a birthday party."


	2. Up, Up, and Away

**Author's Note: I don't own Leverage. Dean Devlin and TNT do. So don't sue.**

 **Part One: Carrie Underwood – Last Name**

 **Part Two: Taylor Swift – Style**

 **Part Three: Up, Up, and Away – The Fifth Dimension**

 **Part Four: Waiting For Superman - Daughtry**

* * *

 **Eliot's Apartment**

Parker winced at the volume of the music blasting from Eliot's stereo. Some god awful country singer was wailing about her lost love…or her lost dog?…

She couldn't tell. Nor did she care. Parker's head ached. Her joints were sore. And her hangover was getting the better of her.

It was small consolation that Eliot was keeping his mouth shut. He had decided to occupy his time by cooking food that smelled so good she wanted to eat it regardless of whether it came back up or not.

Unfortunately, it only served as a reminder as to why she was there. Before Hardison had ditched her, they were supposed to be meeting for dinner. She now realized she hadn't had anything substantial to eat for the last day and a half. On top of that, she'd consumed enough alcohol to rival a seasoned drunk at happy hour.

The far off sound of Eliot mumbling made her attempt to look in his direction. It sounded like "HoomanifingasamIholdup?" But it was just too hard to concentrate.

The edges of her vision were getting blurry and flashy. No matter how loud the hitter yelled, the poor thief felt like she was staring into a tunnel.

Finally, the frustrated Southerner gave up and got right in her face.

"HOW MANY FINGERS AM I HOLDING UP?"

Parker flinched back. She couldn't count even if she wanted to. Rather than confuse herself, Parker dropped her head on her arms and flashed Eliot one of her own fingers in response. The middle one.

The hitter held back a smirk. "Trick question. I've got oven mitts on. Hey, you want to name them too?"

"Bastard." The insult was halfhearted. Mostly because she was trying not to laugh at how stupid he looked with his alligator pot holders (which she could just barely make out now that her head had stopped spinning).

"Yeah I guess I am a bastard. Who else would force you back to consciousness just so you can enjoy a perfectly baked birthday cake?"

"Issit choclate?" She mumbled hopefully.

"Coffee first. Then chocolate."

"But I want it now." Parker whined.

"Sure thing. Just tell me how old you are."

That stopped the thief in her tracks.

"I don't know." She whispered.

Knowing better, Eliot stared her down. "Give me your ID."

"NO!" Parker balked. "You'll only take it away and make me get a new one."

"Let me get this straight. You're worried about **me** stealing from Little Miss Pickpocket? Let's not forget who's carrying the damn thing seeing as how you freakin' stole it back when I took it at the bar.

Parker eyed him suspiciously before admitting defeat. Eliot was right. All she'd have to do was steal it back. How hard could it be?

"Turn around." She commanded.

With a roll of his eyes, Eliot made a big production of following orders.

When she was sure he wasn't looking, she inched her hand slowly down to her right sock; moving as slowly as possible to avoid falling on her ass again. In a few seconds, Alice White's ID was back on the table.

As soon as Eliot heard the click of the card on the counter, he lunged for it.

"So according to your fake ID….Alice was born in 1987." He read.

"Which means what?"

"You do the math." He laughed.

"I'm too damn drunk." Parker moaned.

Eliot sighed. "Are you kidding me? You can calculate a trajectory from rooftop to rooftop but you can't subtract to find your own birthday?"

"My head is fuzzy. I can't do math when my brain is acting all funny." She complained, trying to grab the card back.

Once again, Eliot snatched it from her. "You're thirty Parker."

"Why do you care about how old I am?" She scoffed indignantly. "Aren't I supposed to be the one who's upset here?"

"Well, I need to know how many candles to put on a certain drunk girl's cake.

"Can I light them?"

"There is no way I'm letting you play with that much fire."

"But it's my birthday." She pouted.

"Yeah. Question is, what are we gonna do about it?"

* * *

 **Part Two: Style**

"Okay, Parker. Don't make me say it again. **Close your eyes**."

"Where are we going?"

" **We** are on our way to get your birthday gift."

"Where is it? And who's it from? I have to know who to thank."

"Sophie and Nate called in a favor. Apparently she has this friend who slept with Nate's friend who…" Eliot broke off, unsure of how to proceed. If he couldn't bloody well remember their explanation, it was no use explaining it to Parker. "It's a present from the team."

"But why do I have to wear a blindfold to get it?"

"Because they want you to be surprised."

"Can't you just tell me and I'll act surprised?"

"Yeah sure Parker, and then I'll be Sophie's errand boy on her next Parisian shopping spree. That woman can sense a lie and a sale from ten miles away."

Using the words shopping and Sophie in the same sentence made Parker involuntarily shudder. Fewer words were never spoken as Eliot helped her into his truck.

"You sure you're sober?" He cautioned.

"Yeah, I'm on a total caffeine rush now. My brain's operating twice as fast as it was two hours ago."

"Perfect…" Eliot muttered as he slapped her wandering hand away from the radio.

"No way Parker. My truck, my rules, my music."

"My birthday." The blonde haired beauty reminded him.

Eliot sighed before giving in ( _just this once_ ). Wincing at the noise emanating from the stereo, he tried to focus on staying on the road. It took all he had in him not to crash the car just to get away from Parker's Taylor Swift impersonation.

* * *

 **Part Three: Up, Up, and Away**

It took two hours, but they finally made it to their destination.

Everything had been prepared according to the hitter's instructions. Even Hardison was there, following an online tutorial to prepare Parker's gift.

"Hey mama!" The hacker greeted as she walked right past his open arms. Even though she was blindfolded, she could tell exactly where he was. Hell, they were in the middle of an open field, and she was still trying to put distance between them.

Hardison sighed, and tried once again to justify himself. "Okay, I know you're mad, but let me explain. Yes, I did have a date. But I was working on a surprise for you too. I just didn't know what to get so…"

Before he could say Eliot had helped him, Parker took off her blindfold and gasped.

Standing in front of her was a seventy-foot bag of hot air, pushing itself up off the ground as it inflated before her very eyes. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Parker ran up to her new toy - a hot air balloon with a picture of Sailor Moon on the side.

"Oh my God! THANK YOU HARDISON! I LOVE IT! I knew you wouldn't forget!"

Naturally the thief assumed that the hacker was the one who did all the work while Eliot watched from the sidelines. But it didn't matter. Watching Parker filled the hitter's heart with amazement as he took in her twenty pounds of crazy over such an extravagant gift. She poked and prodded every inch of the fabric and waited with baited breath until she could squeeze herself into the gondola basket.

Hardison, on the other hand, was filled with relief. He took a second to whisper 'thanks man' to Eliot, who in turn replied that the hacker owed him. For life.

"COME ON YOU COWARDS!" Parker yelled over her shoulder, replacing Eliot's amazement with terror. If she wouldn't get on a horse for him, there was no way he was stepping foot in that death trap.

The hitter met Hardison's shove with a push of his own. The two dragged their feet, each trying to get behind the other in the hopes that there wouldn't be enough room for the last person.

"Man, she's your girlfriend." The hitter groused.

"Uh-uh. Not anymore. We have an agreement."

"Screw your agreement Hardison. I don't wanna get killed because of it."

"Hey! When it comes to Parker and driving, it's every man for himself."

"Good thing I'm the man." Eliot asserted. Ignoring Hardison's protests, he grabbed the hacker's arm, twisted it behind his back, and escorted the hacker safely into the gondola. Unfortunately, he neglected to leave enough time to plan his own escape.

Parker's gleeful smile became almost maniacal as she realized that all three of them indeed fit snugly inside the basket.

"Okay boys…get ready for the ride of your life!" She cheered.

Eliot glared at Nate and Sophie, who waved from far away down the field. Once again, he wondered exactly how he ended up in these situations. As Parker fired up the burner, he found himself in internal prayer. If he were any less of a man, he'd be whimpering like Hardison, instead of mentally preparing to kiss the ground goodbye.

* * *

 **Part Four: Waiting For Superman**

"It wasn't **that** bad." Parker proclaimed, laughing at the two men who were scared out of their wits.

Hardison begged to differ. As soon as they hit the ground, he flew out of the basket and emptied his stomach on the sweet sweet grass.

Eliot on the other hand was still cowering in the corner of the basket. Everything would have been fine if Parker hadn't insisted he look over the edge. He'd done it just to make her happy, and it was the biggest mistake of his life. This coming from a man who had been on the ladder of a helicopter suspended in mid-air over the Atlantic.

Somehow, this was different – mostly, because Parker's version of driving included very unnecessary ups and downs using a glorified Bunsen burner.

He was never going ballooning again. At least that's what he kept telling himself. Still, there was a small (oh so small) part that knew it was worth it to see Parker happy again. He never could stand to see her cry. In all the time he had known her, she'd only been moved to tears twice. Now the count was up to three - because of this birthday amnesia business.

Thank God **that** was over. He'd had enough excitement for one day.

Rather than join the others for dinner, he opted to go back home. Besides, Parker and Hardison still needed to sort things out. Truth be told, so did he. He'd done a lot more for Parker than he'd intended to, and it made him feel things. Uncomfortable things. Things long since buried.

All this talk of flying and hot air balloons made him feel like Superman trying to save the day for her. Question was, why was he doing Hardison's job? And for Parker of all people? Maybe he was finally accepting that they were a part of this team. His team. And he would do anything to keep the peace between them.

Needing some of that peace right now, he looked longingly at his bed. But something was stopping him from getting in it. It took him a minute, before he realized what it was. The bedroom window had been left open – and he'd closed it before leaving. Of that he was certain.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned towards the closet of his bedroom – having a good idea of exactly what (or whom) he would find.

Sure enough, as soon as he opened the door, Parker's guilty eyes met his. Eliot went from straight up pissed to mildly annoyed to reluctantly curious in ten seconds flat.

"What's the matter Parker? Why aren't you with the others?"

"Dinner is over. It's bedtime. And your place is closer than mine."

"Come again?"

"Do you want me to be alone on my birthday?"

"Dammit that's what Hardison's for."

"Oh. Well I sent him home."

"Why?"

"He doesn't want me. He wants her."

"Let me rephrase. Why are you here?"

"Nate and Sophie make too much noise."

Eliot pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh for the love of..." "Boundaries Parker!"

"Well it's true!"

"And what exactly were you planning on doing here that you couldn't do at your place?"

"Eat cake?" She quipped, trying to be cute so he wouldn't throw her out.

"Parker you polished off more than half of it this afternoon!"

"What? It was good." She protested, smiling as innocently as her personality would allow.

Eliot sighed and then relented. "I guess I'll take that as a compliment. I **am** an incredible chef. But that still doesn't answer my question."

"You're more than that Eliot. That's why I wanted to say thank you. You know, for earlier. You were nice to me, and you didn't have to be. I mean, normally you're all growly, but who knew you had a heart underneath all that grizzly bear."

"Yeah, well…you're welcome. I think…."

"Eliot, I think there's something else you should know."

The hitter paused, waiting for her to continue. She seemed to be treading into dangerous territory even for her.

"Okay, you know that guy whose ass you kicked at the bar?"

"Yeah. What about him?"

"I think I sort of came on to him first."

The shame on Parker's face made him think twice about his next words.

"It doesn't matter Parker. He still should have kept his mouth shut." The hitter affirmed.

"It's just…he seemed so nice at first. So I tried being nice back. Then when he offered to buy me a drink, he got all grab-assy. I was trying to find someone to replace Hardison, you know? I thought a one night stand was exactly what I needed. And then I realized there's one big problem with that: me."

"There's nothing wrong with you Parker."

"Yes there is. You tell me so all the time."

"I don't… I don't mean it. I just get frustrated when you go off kilter – especially on the job. Besides, you call me names too."

"That I do." Parker laughed, cutting off the direction of her thoughts. "Thanks again Sparky. For everything."

"Anytime Parker. Just try not to let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch...or uproot the tree itself.

The thief nodded. For once something he said actually made sense to her.

Now, go to bed." He commanded, pulling her in to give her a kiss on the forehead.

The weird look she gave him made him feel bad about almost laughing out loud. "You can stay if you want." He confirmed. "But just for tonight. Anyways, I sleep better knowing there's someone else keeping watch. Don't ask me how, but I know you do too. So I'll take the chair. You take the bed."

"It's your room Eliot. Besides, I sleep better in the closet."

The hitter knew when he'd been bested, so he let his gentlemanly instincts go. "You've got yourself a deal then."

That being said, he took a few blankets and some pillows and arranged them comfortably for her in the walk-in closet space.

"If you need anything else let me know."

"Eliot?"

"Yeah?"

"Sweet dreams." With that, she curled up in her space and was fast asleep, leaving him to wonder why he still had a smile on his face as he closed the door and made his way back to bed.


	3. Sensual Seduction

**Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage. Dean Devlin and TNT do. So don't sue.**

 **Author's Note: See the footnote for additional info about the "soundtrack" to this fanfic**

 **Song Suggestions** :

 **Part One: Sunday Morning Comin' Down – Johnny Cash**

 **Part Two: Return of the Mack – Mark Morrison**

 **Part Three: Little Black Backpack – Stroke 9**

 **Part Four: Sensual Seduction - Snoop Dogg**

 **Part Five: Bulletproof – La Roux**

* * *

 **Part One: Sunday Morning Comin' Down**

When Eliot woke up the next morning, Parker was nowhere to be found. Instead of trying to track her down, the hitter went straight to his coffee maker and downed as much caffeine as his overworked nerves would allow.

Dealing with Parker always left him feeling worse for wear. For one thing, he was becoming increasingly unsure of his place around her. Lately, he'd taken on the role of bodyguard, babysitter, and philanthropist. The word boyfriend sat at the back of his mind, but he was much too proud to consider the notion that he might actually be falling for her.

As Eliot poured himself another cup of the blessedly black, sugarless beverage, his mind began to clear. Forcing himself to slow his breathing, he tried to concentrate on anything else but the bubbly blonde invading his brain.

Unfortunately for him, his cell phone decided that this one moment of peace was the perfect time to light up like a Christmas tree.

Two texts from Hardison….

Pictures of Parker's birthday from Sophie….

Nothing from Parker herself…

And one missed call from Nate…

Clearly they had a case.

Without another thought, Eliot threw on his jacket and made his way to Leverage, International. He couldn't wait to take out his frustrations on a couple Neanderthals, and he hoped this case provided a plethora of them.

Then again, all it took was one look at all the happy people around him on the sidewalk, and he (not for the first time) wished that he could just take the day off. Partying with Parker had taken its toll, and he'd much rather play kick the can like the kid beside him, rather than have to sit through another one of Hardison's s "presentations". Just thinking about it put the hitter in a sour mood as he climbed into his beat up old truck and drove to McRory's Pub.

* * *

 **Part Two: Return of the Mack**

No one greeted him as he entered Nate's apartment – at least not until he cleared his throat. The small gesture signaled the start of the meeting. With everyone present, Hardison commandeered the remote and started the run down.

"Just in time man." The hacker greeted before beginning.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Frank Floyd – the freakiest dude this side of the internet. By day, he poses as a mild mannered business man. By night, he runs a sex ring for "high end" clientele. Creep makes as much as $1000 a night per exchange - all of which goes straight into his pocket."

"How'd we hear about this guy?" Eliot interrupted. "Do we have any inside info on him?"

"We do have a client who can provide us with such." Nate answered, choosing his next words carefully. "however they wish to remain anonymous. No names, no payment."

"Just a whistleblower." Hardison joked before amending – "so to speak."

Eliot flashed him the dirtiest look he could muster. If the person they were supposed to protect was brave enough to help take down a kingpin, the least they could do was be respectful enough to take them seriously.

Showing that he got the point, Hardison wiped the smile off his face and plowed ahead. "Now normally, his male clients range from 45 to 60 years old, while the girls he auctions range from 18 to 25. For those of you paying attention, that's just barely legal.

"Eww." Parker interjected, making a face.

"I'll say." Sophie agreed.

"Now, I've tried tracking down some of his former "employees," but most are off the grid. At one point, each of these men and women kept a single bank account for what I guess you would call direct deposits, but the accounts themselves are overseas and virtually untraceable."

Eliot didn't succeed in holding back another eye roll directed toward the idiot hacker. He leaned back on the couch, attempting to keep his eyes open while Hardison droned on and on about these overseas accounts. From the gist of things, their mark was virtually unhackable, because his "employees" were set up to bear the brunt of the legalities, meaning they would take the fall instead of Floyd.

* * *

 **Part Three: Little Black Backpack**

"Wait, there's more." Hardison kept on, right as Eliot's eyes began to close. "A few of his regulars have uncensored photos online, but the website I traced them back to is run by an outsourced company that can't be linked to Mr. Floyd or any of his subsidiaries."

Eliot couldn't take it anymore.

"ALRIGHT Hardison! WE GET IT! The guy's a creep that can't be hacked! Nate? How do you suggest we handle this?" Eliot asked, interrupting Hardison's indignant intake of breath.

The mastermind answered without skipping a beat. "From what Hardison has uncovered, the man does all his business by hand with a little black book - a book which he has entrusted to the care of this man: Caden Smith.

As Nate spoke, a new face appeared on the massive tv screens. It wasn't until Eliot happened to glance over at Parker that he got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. As soon as his eyes turned back towards the screen he couldn't help but spit out the last remnants of his morning coffee…

All over Hardison.

The man in question made enough of a scene to distract everyone from Parker, who was struggling to keep a blank face. One look at her and Eliot knew he was sworn to secrecy – because there, staring back at him was the creep that had hit on his friend a few nights ago.

"Nate, do you mind sharing your plan with the rest of the class?" Sophie cut in, as soon as everyone stopped grousing.

"Not at all." Nate answered reassuringly. "You see, to get to the "king", we have to knock down the "pin". Simply put, we need to get our hands on that book."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Parker asked skittishly. As much as she wanted to get back at the guy, she couldn't help but worry what would happen when she and Eliot were recognized.

"Here's what we're gonna do. Mr Smith is throwing a "business" party for his clientele next week. Sophie, you're going to pose as a high end Madame and offer your services to Mr. Smith. Parker, you're going to be providing those services."

"Huh?" The thief yelped, scrunching up her nose at the thought of "servicing" anyone.

"It means you've gotta seduce him." Eliot helped. Or tried to anyway.

"Why me?" Parker griped.

"Because once you and Sophie lure Mr. Smith upstairs to make the exchange, that's when we'll get our hands on that little black book. Eliot, I want you to tail Parker and Sophie. If they can't get the book by stealth, we'll have no choice but to isolate the mark and use force. In any case, you're going to keep these ladies safe while Hardison gains access to the party via the entertainment crew. He'll be recording conversations and confessions via earbuds to use as State's evidence. As for me, I'm going to coordinate with Bonano, and when everything falls into place, I'm going after Floyd myself.

"Nate…I don't think I can…"

That was as far as Parker got before the mastermind turned on her and smiled, reading her just like a book.

"Relax Parker. It's a costume party. All you have to do is play the part. Sophie will be with you the whole time, telling you exactly what to do. Just don't stab the mark until **after** we get the book."

* * *

 **Part Four: Sensual Seduction**

Nate thought his speech fixed everything, but Parker was far from reassured. If there was any way to screw up a mission, it was to put her in the same room with a grabassy mark. Especially a grabassy mark who would recognize her the minute the masks came off.

"But Nate!..."

"Sophie…Eliot…Can you uh…you know…" Nate intimated, tipping the edge of his shot glass towards the thief. Both took it to mean they had their work cut out for them. While Hardison had the easy job of coordinating timing with technology, they got the task of stuffing Parker in a dress and teaching her the fine art of seduction.

By the time the hitter made it over to Parker, Sophie was already diving off the deep end. "Okay, so the costume is the easy part." She began. "We need something scandalous in the front, but demure in the face. Something that virtually screams slut, but keeps that air of mystery about you. Of course, we'll use a mask to hide some of your features, whilst choosing a dress to put the rest of them on display. He'll want to see what he's buying, after all."

"You sure this is a good idea?" Eliot warned, as skittish about sending Parker out onto the front lines, as she was about going.

Sophie grinned, much like a canary eating cat. "What could go wrong?" She purred.

"All we have to do is teach her how to be a lady."

The hitter groaned inwardly while Sophie began to see his point.

"Parker, all you have to do is stand there and look pretty. Then, with just a few simple well placed touches, he'll be eating out of the palm of our…" At this Sophie trailed off, seeing Eliot's point. "Hmm I see what you mean. Our Parker's not exactly the touchy feely type, is she?"

"HEY! I'm standing right HERE. And I can HEAR you." Parker hissed.

"Relax darlin'. You'll do fine with a bit of practice." He regretted it as soon as he said it. Sophie had that look in her eye. The hitter was about to get used as bait. If only he hadn't fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

As Eliot shook his head trying to get out of it, Sophie only smiled wider. _This was going to be a long night._ When it came to exit strategies, Parker was no novice. But this time, she was going to have to opt to use her femininity in her favor. That alone could take years. They only had a week.

"Look Parker, whatever happens, just remember you already have an exit strategy: me. No forks or butter knives this time, ok?" Eliot all but commanded.

"Fine." Parker huffed.

"How did you?..." Sophie started. But Eliot had already decided that if they were gonna do this, they were gonna do it right.

"Give it here Parker. And the one in your boot too."

 _If looks could kill…_

Parker sent a murderous glare towards Eliot while she handed over the stash she had hidden on her person.

Eliot could only watch in amusement. "That dress ain't gonna hide anything, sweetheart. Let alone you."

As they went back and forth, Sophie blinked, gazing at them dubiously from beneath her designer lashes. She was the one who had her work cut out for her. Eliot and Parker would do well to learn to never underestimate the power of a good grift. Or a good actress.

* * *

 **Part Five: Bulletproof**

"Stand here, Eliot. You're going to be our mark." Sophie declared, motioning furiously when he hesitated.

The hitter tried not to wince at the sound of his own name. He really hated role playing.

"Now Parker, I want you to listen to me, and do exactly as I say. First off, Eliot's right. You have to be open to the mark. You need to put yourself on display, using your body as the weapon."

Apparently Parker was taking notes, and literally at that. Before Eliot could even blink, the thief had torn her blouse half open, and was advancing on him like a cat in heat.

"Yes! Good. Get into character! But don't be so forward. You want to appear hesitant. Don't give it all away at once."

Parker turned back to Sophie, confused. "I thought I was supposed to make him want to sleep with me."

"You are. But being too aggressive is only going to turn this mark off."

"Maybe you should explain it to her using a subject she's familiar with." Eliot suggested.

Sophie thought for a minute before taking the hitter's advice. "Okay, suppose you were going to take someone out with a taser. Wouldn't you want to hit them where it would do the most damage? Well, seduction works much the same way. You want to persuade the mark to do your bidding by taking him out of his comfort zone. Let your body act as the taser."

"Yeah…following so far."

"Excellent. Now I want you to sneak up on Eliot. Pretend he's your target and you're casing him out. You can't stalk him though. Be subtle. Remember, you don't want him to know what you're doing."

Trying again, Parker kept her blouse open while pretending to check out her surroundings until her eyes finally fell on Eliot's. He tried not to look away, despite the thief's complete lack of modesty.

"That's it. He's noticed you. Give him a smile, then. Exactly! Now walk up to him and introduce yourself as Amber."

Eliot tried not to laugh as he caught Parker's eye and looked away again.

"Hey." She greeted, quickly filling the space between them.

"Hey." He echoed, trying to be encouraging.

"My name is Amber. Is there something I can **do** for you?"

"Cut! Cut!" Sophie interjected. "Turn the tables on him. Ask about what he can do for you. Make him feel like the man. Now try it again, but with a feather light touch."

They tried it again, exactly as before.

"Hi! I'm Amber." The thief breathed. "What's your name?"

"Spencer." Eliot intoned.

"Spencer, huh? Does that mean you're a big spender?"

"I could be for the right woman. How 'bout a drink?"

"I could go for a drink." She echoed, laying a hand on him. "I'm really thirsty."

"There you go! Now begin the tease. Think of a well-placed touch of the hand like the electric zap of your taser. The electricity travels from your body to his…getting him all hot and bothered while you maintain absolute control."

Following Sophie's directions, Parker placed a hand on Eliot's chest and pulled it down to just below his rib cage. Her chest was practically in his face, but not close enough to where he could have the access this particular mark would want.

"Perfect. Now go for the kill." Sophie commanded.

"How about a night cap?" Parker whispered, moving her lips dangerously close to his. His breath quickened as he stared the thief down. As her body pressed into him, he shifted, trying not to show the effect she was having on him. Still she came closer. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his body betrayed him once again. Closing his eyes, he prayed for an intervention because it really looked like she was about to try and...

"And the mark falls for you without any idea that you touched him at all." Sophie murmured, bringing the two back to reality. "Why Mr. Caden, I do believe you're hitting on my client.".

Parker pulled back, looking rather pleased with herself while Eliot tried to catch his breath. As Sophie took over, mimicking the way she would play the actual con, Parker fought to get her own breathing back under control. She couldn't tell if it was mere nerves, or the fact that she practically had Eliot eating out of the palm of her hand, but she couldn't seem to bring herself back from cloud nine.

Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to pull this con off after all.

* * *

 _*For anyone who is wondering (and for those that are not)…I try to have my song suggestions offer a look into the minds of the characters. For instance, the Johnny Cash song in part one is about a hangover and told from Eliot's perspective._

 _Return of the Mack offers the perspective of a mark that is rapidly gaining power, while similarly offering Hardison's view of returning to a better version of himself after dealing with Parker's craziness._

 _Little Black Backpack could serve as a metaphor for the Little Black Book they're stealing. And it also gives us a look into Eliot's mind... (Don't want to tangle with you, I'd rather tangle with him…I think I'm gonna bash his head in…)_

 _And finally Bulletproof gives Parker's perspective on how she's not going to let men get the better of her. Along with Sensual Seduction to lighten the mood._

 _So the lesson here is, pay attention to lyrics. They have a hidden meaning (most of the time). Though if you're not so inclined, enjoy the soundtrack anyway_ _!_


	4. Maneater

**Chapter 4: Maneater**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage. Dean Devlin does. So don't sue.

* * *

 **Song Suggestions:**

Part One: Maneater – Nelly Furtado

Part Two: Ladykillers – Lush

Part Three: Monster – Lady Gaga

Part Four: Panic Switch – Silversun Pickups

* * *

 **PART ONE: MANEATER**

Parker followed the swish of Sophie's gown as she navigated the ballroom like a pro. She batted her lashes at some, sneered at others, but never stopped holding her head high. As flattering as it was to be seen with the queen herself, it was still degrading that they were both nothing more than a piece of meat for all the men to gawk at.

It was bad enough she was practically naked. The dress she wore was low cut, see-through, and held together by a few dozen sequins. Though the designer's name evaded her, it fit her body in all the right ways. Of course, it was hard to give credit to someone for actually making the damn thing, seeing as how there was practically no dress to speak of.

Thank God her face was hidden, at the very least. Per her request, Parker wore an elaborate feathered mask that hid all her features. She'd even gone so far as to dye her hair, before letting Sophie twist it up into an elaborate design that took her breath away, it was so tight.

Trying to remember what Sophie had taught her, she attempted to make eye contact with as many men as possible. But only one in particular interested the thief.

As soon as Eliot sensed her gaze upon him, he threw a quick wink and tapped his earbud twice. It was his way of telling her not to worry, and to proceed with the con the way they'd practiced.

Although the hitter tried to remain focused, Parker couldn't help but be focused on all of the women who were starting to swarm around him like horny fire ants. Granted these things tended to happen– especially when you looked as good as Eliot did in a suit. But it still made the thief cringe knowing the best she could hope for were his quick reflexes and watchful eyes despite the three or four distractions he was currently entertaining.

 _Men…_ she huffed to herself, trying to redouble her efforts to catch the attention of the mark. It wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. Caden had been staring at "Amber" all night long, but "she" was only just now supposed to notice. Making extended eye contact with him finally meant that not only was her price now on the line, but that she was the only one left competing.

Spotting Caden's interest, Sophie pushed the terrified thief forward to where the man stood, chatting with his buddies. A mantra of: _don't stab, don't stab, don't stab_ , darted in and out of her racing thoughts. Still, she found it impossible to pander to the very man who had completely destroyed her self-confidence only a few nights ago.

As Caden locked eyes with her, she found herself replaying the scene at the bar all over again. Only this time instead of tearing up, she found herself growing angry. So angry in fact, that she found herself vowing to bring the bastard down even if it killed her.

And it very well might…

Like a cat toying with its mostly dead victim, she pressed out her chest, held out her hands, and let him pull her in so close she could smell his yucky aftershave.

"I'm sorry miss. I didn't catch your name." He crooned, slobbering against her ear.

"That's because I haven't given it yet." Parker murmured back, ignoring her gag reflex.

As soon as Sophie nodded, the thief pulled back to introduce herself.

"Hi!" She chirped, as high and empty headed as her voice would go. "I'm Amber."

Ever the tease, "Amber" started playing with her hair, before sidling up against the mark as close as she could get. The man practically blushed.

"Amber, you say? What fine specimen you are. Truly, a gem." He thrummed, laughing at his own joke. His buddies followed suit, but there seemed to be a hidden rule that she was there for Caden, and Caden alone.

"Are you here with anyone?" He asked pointedly, thinking that would entice her.

"I'm not taken, if that's what you're asking." Parker smiled, doing everything humanly possible to hide her disgust. "Yet…" She added when Sophie tutted in her ear.

"That's not what I meant." He frowned, clearly annoyed. "I meant who do I have to pay to sleep with you?"

* * *

 **PART TWO: LADYKILLER**

Eliot's eyes narrowed dangerously as Parker did her damndest not to blow her cover. No one had expected the mark to be so direct. Particularly the hitter, who now wanted to do his job so badly he couldn't see straight.

For Parker's sake, they couldn't let this con go any further than it had to – or they were all in serious trouble. Because if anyone – _anyone_ \- got hurt by this guy, Eliot sure as hell wouldn't be held responsible for his actions.

Nate seemed to sense this, and at his count, sent Sophie to intervene.

"I trust you like what you see?" The Londoner stated firmly, commanding the attention of everyone there.

"And you are?" The mark questioned haughtily.

"Alexa. Alexa White." Sophie lied, pressing her hand firmly into his.

"Proprietor of White Diamond Escorts. I'm the one that you pay." She deadpanned.

"Well, Ms. White, your whore is very hard to ignore. Tell me, do you have any more like her?"

"Are you always so indiscreet with potential employees?" "Alexa" chided, playing on the mark's hidden insecurities. She wasn't about to let him get away with talking to Parker like that – even if it was part of the con.

"You have nothing to worry about." Smith maintained. "My company has nothing to hide, and I certainly represent it to the best of my ability. We are at this location because it's a safe place to weed out the new recruits. So if your lovely "escort" meets our rigorous expectations, it could lead to some actual business for your little hole in the wall agency."

Sophie wanted to slap the smirk right off his face. "Yes, of course, Mr.-…"

"Smith. Caden Smith."

"Well, Mr. Smith, it's always been my motto to save the very best girls for last. So just think of Amber here as a bit of a preview for what my company can do – both for you and your employer. I believe, as the old saying goes, the best is yet to cum?

Caden was past the point of drooling.

"Name your price." He demanded, pulling "Amber" in close to keep her from getting away.

"Oh no, no, no. Not here." "Alexa warned. "Too many prying eyes, you understand. No, I always do business by the book. In fact, I carry mine right here." The Brit solicited, pulling a tiny black book out from between her breasts.

Caden lit up like a match-head dipped in lighter fluid. He was so turned on, that Parker could feel his manbits swelling against her leg. It was all she could do not to puke.

Caden, however, remained perfectly oblivious. "It seems, then, we have some business to attend to." He stated, excusing himself from his "gentlemen" friends.

"This way, _ladies_ …" He invited, stressing the last word facetiously.

With quick steps, he led them upstairs to a small, private office - one untypical of its kind. From the outside it looked completely normal, but on the inside hung all types of floggers, whips, chains, and handcuffs - most of which were kept under lock and key. In the very back of the room was a solitary door, painted red. There was no other way out except through that door, or back the way they had come. Of course, once that office door clicked shut, there was no turning back for either of them.

The thief shivered as she contemplated the fate of all the other girls who had been led to this room before her. Had they come willingly? Had they put up a fight? Just thinking about it made her stomach drop to her feet. As the office door swung closed, Parker couldn't help but worry that her fate was being sealed up right along with it.

* * *

 **PART THREE: MONSTER**

If only Parker could have known what Eliot was thinking, she wouldn't have been so worried about his commitment to the con (or to her). Although, it would be a lie to say he wasn't enjoying all the attention, there was something about underage girls using him for his money that put him right off his game.

He would much rather be on the front lines, breaking the necks of anyone who came within striking distance of his team. At least Sophie and Parker would have the decency to provide him with the same type of protection. Because, some of these women were downright scary…

As the hitter listened to Sophie talk shop over the earbuds, he slowly began to realize that these were the types of women the mark enjoyed. Just from listening to the creep negotiate, Eliot surmised that Caden was the type to not only bang, but bang, beat, and humiliate.

The conversation over the earbuds was bad enough considering the awful images running through Eliot's mind. Already his fists were clenched in with a barely controlled rage as he forced himself to listen to what was going down.

"Tell her to take off the mask." Smith demanded, his voice echoing off the hitter's eardrum.

"Ah ah ah, business before pleasure." "Alexa" rebuked softly. "The mask doesn't come off until I get the money."

"That hardly seems fair. I'd like to see everything that I'm paying for up front. And I do mean everything." Smith leered.

"Mr. Smith, you wouldn't examine a horse's teeth before buying it, would you? That's just bad manners." ***

"What do I care about manners? I want to know I'm getting everything that I pay for."

"I'm afraid if you want my business, you'll have to play by my rules." "Alexa" warned, knowing just how to pique the mark's interest. "You should know that I value performance and pleasure over mere appearance, and I charge accordingly. Believe me, there are many men who want this girl, but few who can actually afford her. So trust me when I tell you, you won't be disappointed. Besides, it's not like you'll be looking at her face much anyhow. Not the way you operate."

"Is she as good as you claim?" Caden inquired reluctantly.

"Even better." "Alexa" smirked.

"Very well." The mark replied, brusquely. "If performance is truly what your whore has to offer, I'll overlook the examination. You can practically tell what she looks like anyway. Name your terms."

Eliot's blood chilled as Sophie bit out her next words:

"She doesn't go for less than a thousand. One hour. No hard limits. You can do whatever you want, just so long as she comes back in one piece. That means no noticeable marks that I might have to explain away. Nothing that would lower her value, you understand."

"Shall we bank on it?" Caden lewdly suggested.

"Induitably." "Alexa" agreed.

Eliot held back a whistle. Sophie may have been born a woman, but she was gifted with balls of steel.

After a quick minute, there was a rustling over the receiver as both business persons took out their little black books. As the two exchanged information, including the numbers to their respective offshore accounts, Parker tried to make herself scarce. Eliot knew she was waiting on something - a distraction of some kind – anything really, just so she could make the switch.

Still, it was only when "Alexa" leaned her face towards the client that Parker received the distraction she needed. Placing her little black book down on the desk, "Alexa" took Caden's hands and placed them directly on top of her breasts. "Mr. Smith, would it be too much to ask for two women to pleasure you tonight?"

The mark was so close to Sophie, Eliot could hear the guy panting.

Freeing his hands to cop a feel, Caden followed suit and put his book on the desk as well. "Does it cost extra?" The mark pried as he pulled her to him.

"I'm sure we can work something out." The grifter promised, going in for a kiss.

Eliot straight up gagged, all the while struggling to keep his reaction to himself.

Finally, there was a bit more shuffling, and a nearly imperceptible click on the line. Parker's penchant for making noises with her tongue told him the switch had been made. Now they just needed an out.

* * *

 **PART FOUR: PANIC SWITCH**

As Sophie pulled away, Caden took both her arms and roughly shoved her against the wall, changing his tune. "Sorry baby." He grunted. "But I've got what I came for."

The hitter's heart skipped a beat as the unmistakable rush of security guards filled his ears. At first he couldn't tell what was going on, or why they were there. Then it hit him…Parker. If she got demasked, their cover was blown. And that was assuming she hadn't been identified already.

Thankfully, Sophie provided just enough of a distraction to keep the focus on her. Eliot assumed that Parker must have slipped her the book during that disgusting kiss, because "Alexa" wasn't putting up much of a fight. Since it was up to "Alexa" to get the switched book out safely, she couldn't allow herself to be caught. The best she could hope for was to get forcibly removed from the office by security.

That meant Parker was on her own.

Eliot could almost sense the thief's panic as he took the stairs two at a time. _Why the hell had he insisted Parker go in unarmed?_ Hopefully there were enough sharp objects laying around where she could get her hands on one. Though if Caden were careful enough, and Eliot knew that he would be, there'd be nothing for a girl to grab onto to defend herself.

Hardison was the only sound in his ear as the hacker gave point by point directions. As the scuffle between the security guards and "Alexa" ensued, Eliot heard the slam of a door. He was just in time to see Sophie being shoved ungraciously out into the hallway.

The hitter wasted no time. He was already on the second goon by the time he heard the office lock click. To be fair, it was a very distinctive click – double locked, deadbolt, only accessible with a key. Good thing the door was thin and there was a fire extinguisher down the hall.

In thirty seconds flat, he had disarmed all four guards, leaving Sophie to make her way to meet Nate at the rendezvous point, while Eliot continued on to Parker.

In all the hubbub, Sophie had managed to flash the book at him signaling that his hunch had been right all along. Parker had sacrificed herself so that Sophie could get out with the evidence they needed to bring down Caden Smith.

Eliot once again felt the rage begin to beat throughout his body. In order to calm himself, he focused on the sound of Parker's fists. She was doing a stand up job of defending herself, but there were just too many assailants for her to take on by herself. He could tell from the sound of the scuffle that the small thief was quickly becoming overwhelmed.

Unsure of how to help without being right there next to her, Eliot just started talking, hoping against hope that she was still conscious enough to hear him.

"Parker? PARKER! Look, I know you can hear me." He stated tensely. "So just listen to me, okay. LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT! I'm coming for you. DO YOU HEAR ME PARKER? I'M COMING FOR YOU! And I SWEAR I'm NOT gonna stop until I find you. I just need you to do one thing for me, okay? ONE. THING. I need you to stay awake for me, okay? I MEAN IT PARKER? DON'T LET THOSE BASTARDS KNOCK YOU OUT! I'm on my way. So just wait for me. Okay? OKAY?!"

"Okay." A shaky voice replied before the feed went dead.

That was all the incentive Eliot needed. Refusing to panic, his mind started to race along with his muscles as they worked in tandem to smash the door open with the fire extinguisher.

The only thing the hitter wanted know before he pounded the mark was if Parker had been an experiment in picking up girls for Floyd, or if she was a premeditated target. Either way, that piece of shit was going to pay.

* * *

 **CHAPTER NOTES:**

***Examining a horse's teeth when it is being sold, presented, or given to you is considered a rude gesture. (Or at least it was before the turn of the century.) Hence the term: don't look a gift horse in the mouth. It's actually an insult to the person selling/giving away the horse and implies that they have been deemed untrustworthy.


	5. Call Me A Thief

**Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage or its characters. Dean Devlin and TNT do. So don't sue.**

 **Song Suggestions:**

 **Part One: Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson**

 **Part Two: Thief – Ansel**

 **Part Three: I'd Come for You - Nickelback**

* * *

 **PART ONE: Smooth Criminal**

From the back of the room, Parker heard the office door slam and knew it meant trouble. Spinning around, she had mere seconds to react as Caden's security team stormed into the office, effectively separating her from Sophie. The only thing louder than the grifter's protests was the click of the lock as she was shoved out the door.

Although Parker had known from the beginning that it wasn't "Alexa" Caden wanted, Sophie's gamble had just proven their case. The con part of the mission was over. Now was the time to fight. And for the first time in her life, Parker was actually afraid of what would happen if she failed.

She told herself all she had to do was keep away from the red door of doom. But that was going to be easier said than done. Trying to remain calm, she recited plans B through E in her head – debating which to resort to.

Plan B: con the mark into letting her go.

Plan C: grab one of those nasty sex toys to use as a weapon.

Plan D: use said weapon to stay away from the needle the mark was oh-so-cleverly trying to hide behind his back

Plan E: Pinch the needle and inject someone else with it first.

And if that failed, her only other option was plan E: Stay alive long enough for Eliot to find her.

The hitter was her best bet and if he didn't get to her in time, she would relish his help with plan M: killing Hardison for not tracking her fast enough.

As the security guards surrounded her, the smug smile on Caden's face grew impossibly large. The bastard knew he had her cornered, but that didn't stop Parker from putting up one hell of a fight. In a last ditch effort to save herself, the slippery thief went postal. Her arms and legs kept shifting out of the holds they tried to put her in. She spat. She bit. She clawed. She went for the eyes and groin. She tried copying moves that Eliot had shown her over and over again.

The hitter would have been proud. Four of the seven guards were down for the count, and the other half were having trouble laying a hand on her. Taking a chance at an opening, she jerked herself towards the wall to grab a weapon, making one fatal mistake. She left her side open long enough for Caden to jam that damned needle straight into the side of her stomach.

As Parker twisted violently to avoid it, her lithe frame seized up and she fell straight to the floor. Nobody bothered to break her fall, instead letting her body succumb to the impact of its own dead weight. There was literally nothing she could do as she busted her head on the carpeted concrete.

Thankfully, she remained conscious enough to know what was going on. The remaining guards yanked her up by the roots of her hair and forced her to climb to her feet. She tried using gravity to her advantage, but it didn't do much good. They forced her down into a chair without even bothering to use restraints.

It was the ultimate insult for the enraged thief. Granted, there hadn't been a pair of handcuffs invented that Parker couldn't weasel her way out off, but they didn't even consider her enough of a threat to bother. The only thing they cared about was her lack of immunity to the effects of an unknown drug – a drug meant for paralysis. Not unconsciousness.

Whether a blessing or not, Parker was aware of exactly what was going on while remaining hopelessly unable to do anything about it. She didn't even have the ability to squirm as Caden leaned over her, dragging his eyes down over her breasts before stopping just South of her Pole.

Without a care in the world, the pig in a tuxedo finally bent over and did what he'd been wanting to do to her all night.

Parker's heart flipped as the mask was ripped right off her face. Recognition dawned over the Caden's loathsome features seconds before he lost it.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He yelled, spraying her face with spit. "You're that BITCH from the BAR! What the HELL are you doing _HERE_? Don't tell me you didn't get ENOUGH the _FIRST_ TIME!

Parker scowled, saying it all with her slow burning eyes.

The moron ignored that first (and only) warning as Parker forced herself to focus on the words coming to her brokenly over the com link - the first words she'd heard from anyone since being locked up with Mr. Happy Pants.

Eliot was calling over and over, commanding her to talk to him. But, she couldn't respond without giving herself away. So she closed her eyes, focusing on every last word the hitter had to say.

"Parker? PARKER! I KNOW you can hear me. LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT! I'm coming for you. Do you hear me? I'M COMING! And I SWEAR that I am NOT gonna stop until I find you. I just need you to do one thing for me. ONE. THING. I need you to STAY AWAKE for me Parker, okay? I MEAN IT. DON'T LET THOSE BASTARDS KNOCK YOU OUT! I'm on my way. So just wait for me. Okay? OKAY?"

As softly as she could, she breathed out her answer before Caden launched into yet another tirade. A tirade, which he apparently assumed was his God given birth right. Parker only hoped Eliot could hear every word considering the idiot was shouting loud enough to wake the dead. Never mind that dead is what he would be once Eliot got his hands on him.

"Oh, _NOW_ I get it. _YOU_ and your LITTLE _FRIEND_ were trying pull a fast one on me! ON _ME!_ YOU'D better tell me WHAT she was doing HERE and EXACTLY what _YOU_ told _HER_ to TAKE!"

Parker could practically feel her savior seething through the silence.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION DAMMIT!" Caden demanded, completely oblivious to the fact he was fulfilling his own death wish. Parker felt the resulting slap sting both her cheeks once she refused to answer.

"Well, the tables have turned _NOW_ , you little WHORE! You're gonna be _MY_ bitch for the night. And I'm REALLY gonna _ENJOY_ giving you the ROYAL treatment. I'm gonna show you what HAPPENS to any BITCH who tells _ME_ no. And, I'm not gonna stop until you sing like the DIRTY little _SNITCH_ you are! You're gonna _DO_ everything _I_ wantto do and you're gonna _CONFESS_ everything _I_ want to know. _I'M_ gonna have you on your BACK so long you'll _BEG_ me to get on your KNEES."

The mark's unforgiving words sent chills up and down Parker's spine, even as Eliot's breathed life back into her body. She was glad she was the one stuck in here with the mark. Because she could make herself do things that the others couldn't.

It was up to her to get a confession by any means necessary. She was the only one who could bring the mark down, and everyone knew it. She wasn't just fighting for herself anymore - she was fighting for all the women who'd been forced into this position before her.

No one was aware of this more than Eliot, and his words were the only thing Parker had left to hold on to. She may be the team's eyes and ears – but Eliot was the one who was coming for her. And he was going to help her make every last one of these bastards pay.

* * *

 **PART TWO: Call Me A Thief**

Parker's vision was blurrier than the day she'd gotten hit on. Yet, she fought to keep her eyes open – determined to keep her promise. She could feel herself being jerked around. Could hear that godforsaken door being opened. But she couldn't make her body move.

As Caden cuffed her hands and feet to an uncomfortable wooden bed, she tried to contort the bones and muscles to make a way out. Cold steel bit into her skin as she tried to elongate her fingers only to have them fall limp and curl back inwards. Even the bobby pin she'd hidden in her hair was out of reach.

Her only hope was to keep Caden talking. If she could just get a confession over the earbuds, Hardison would be able to record every last gory detail. In her head, she imagined Eliot and Sophie talking her through the whole thing. Saying things like "keep his mouth running" and "we're gonna get him locked up for life"

 _Was it just her imagination? Or were her friends actually talking to her?_ Parker couldn't tell anymore. Lucky for her, this super colossal jerk _really_ liked to talk – and, he didn't exactly need much encouragement to simultaneously brag on himself and dig a hole for his ego at the same time.

Only when Parker was fully restrained and unable to function, did Caden have the balls to climb on top of her and straddle her pelvic bone, burying himself deep inside her.

"You know, you never can trust the pretty ones." He taunted, breathing his stank breath up Parker's nostrils as he thrust against her (still fully clothed). "Tell me _Amber_ , what was it that made you come back for more?"

"Your fucking mouth." She tried to argue, only no sound came out.

"Don't worry." The bastard mused, laughing at her predicament. "That drug won't last forever. You'll be able to talk soon. Maybe if you're good, I won't have to give you a second dose."

"Pervert!" She spat.

Caden just chuckled and stuck his nose directly in front of her face – a fraction shy of biting range.

"You know, not many women are brave enough to turn me down and _then_ seduce me for information. Let alone bring someone else into it. Had I known I was being played, I would have been a little more careful to hang on to the both of you. After all, I've never had _two_ unwilling playmates vying for my affection at the same time."

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Parker tried to half scream.

But Caden just kept going. "You see, my clients pay me obscene amounts of money for the most beautiful women I can find. So _maybe_ I have to scout a few bars and do a little convincing…but no one has _ever_ turned me down before. The money's just too good."

Frustratingly, the only defense Parker had left was her own spit.

A blob of it landed on Caden's forehead, but it only seemed to turn him on more. Grinding his dirty prick deeper into her groin, he proceeded to slather the side of her cheek with his tongue.

The disgusted thief couldn't get away fast enough. She hoped he kept talking because a wagging tongue was way better than a licking one.

Only by then, Caden had crossed the point of no return.

Starting at the swell of her breasts, he proceeded to rip her dress open from chest to ankle – leaving Parker as naked as the day she was born. Then, to keep her mouth shut, he tore a large piece out of the dress material and used it as a gag. Spittle spilled out of the corners of her mouth as she was forced to bite down on a mass of beads that left scratches on her tongue.

The thief's mind went blank as she took a deep breath and willed her brain to take her some place else. Anywhere else. Somewhere safe…

"It really is a shame." Caden mused throughout his last thrust. "I could have made you a rich woman. All of my girls make a damn good living off of what I can provide. Sure, some get tired of it, but I always know how to put them in their place. Just like I'm about to do with you – and your little friend as soon as she is apprehended. Neither of you are going to make it out of here alive. But I'll be damned if I won't have fun getting some answers first. So do yourself a favor and make me work for it."

Just as he was about to shove himself up places he was never meant to go, an enraged fist collided with the side of the man's newly broken nose. Landing on the floor with a loud thunk, Caden had just enough time to crane his neck upwards and see his worst nightmare come to life.

* * *

 **PART THREE: I'd Come For You**

Eliot Spencer, owner of said fist, stood over the mark, taking a sadistic pleasure as the bastard started snorting up blood like the pig he was.

"Looks like you're gonna be the one begging _**ME**_ for favors, _ASSHOLE_." The hitter threatened, deliberately placing himself in front of Parker and blocking the mark's view. The horrible smirk that covered his deathly serious face was the only indication of what this low life had coming.

In the two minutes it had taken for him to bust down both doors, this little shit had been getting down and dirty with his thief – in the middle of penetration to be exact. Eliot's timing had never been more crucial – judging by the guy's small prick that was now fully removed from Parker's genitalia.

Try as he might, he just couldn't shake the image of his best friend and teammate laying, cuffed and naked on her back, while the soon-to-be-dead mark sat atop her, greedily sucking her dry.

So Eliot purposefully kept his back to her, hoping it would help him stay calm and in check. Because the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass her – either by staring or fixating on the fact that she was chained up like some wild animal.

Unfortunately, as he got his first good look around the room – even he stood frozen in shock. There were contraptions in this place that he'd never seen before, and he'd been in some of the sketchiest places America had to offer – all while serving his country. The flogs, whips, and chains didn't look like they were intended for anyone's "pleasure" either – and he was pretty sure none of the women (or men) who'd seen the inside of this room were willing occupants.

He damn sure knew Parker wasn't.

Which meant **NO ONE** was getting out of this room alive.

The army of guards who might have come to Caden's assistance, were already knocked out cold in the outer office, and Eliot didn't give a damn whether they were dead or not. Those sadists had been listening to the entire exchange whilst pleasuring themselves - completely unprepared for the full-blown fight he had surprised them with.

They looked about as bewildered as Caden did right now.

As Eliot came back to himself, he realized the cause of his discontent was sitting on the floor, cursing up a storm. All while trying to get up to defend himself. So naturally, there was nothing else for the hitter to do except put all his energy into shutting the guy up. For good.

A quick chop to the vocal chords and Caden was back on the ground again, holding his throat. The mark lost the ability to talk right as Eliot honed in on what he'd been about to say.

The words enough to make his blood boil.

Struggling to keep himself in check, he purposefully brought his thoughts back to Parker. Just because he refused to look at her didn't mean he couldn't see what she was going through.

The mere sight of her, completely at another man's mercy without any kind of leverage at all, made him want to gouge his own eyes out. It made him unbearably sick to his stomach, and he knew if it was that bad for him, it had to be fifty times worse for Parker.

What sealed the deal, though, were the silent tears he'd seen dripping down his friend's face because she was unable to move, talk, or even go to him for comfort. It made the whole situation intolerable and he couldn't stop the onslaught of emotions that washed over him uninvited – moving and sloshing around until something inside of him broke.

Before he even knew what he was doing, Caden was getting his face smashed in while he turned back into the animal he'd been trying so hard not to be. The only consequence that mattered to him now was taking an eye for an eye and a life for a life.

Two broken limbs and a concussion later, Parker began to realize she either had to regain her ability to speak, or let the hitter to go down for first-degree murder. Out of everyone on the team, she was the only one who understood what that meant. She _had_ killed her own family at the ripe age of 13. Step family, really… But still. The man she hated most (for the exact reason she found herself reliving), was no longer on this earth. And she was the one who'd taken him out of it.

There were days that she regretted that decision, but they were few and far between. Personally she wanted Caden to die a horrible nasty death, just like her stepfather - but not at the expense of Eliot's freedom. Like it or not, she still needed the hitter around, and she couldn't do a damn thing if he ended up in jail over something that needed be handled more discreetly.

The more Parker tried to open her mouth and make sound come out, the more her body began to come alive. Grunts and flinches turned into squeals and aggressive flailing.

At first the hitter couldn't hear her past the blood pounding away in his eardrums, but somehow the faint sounds of muffled screams made it through the thud of his fists.

Caden was already out cold by the time Eliot finally cocked his head towards Parker and saw his friend trying to speak despite the expensive waste of fabric still blocking her windpipe.

Squeezing his eyes shut against the homicidal rage that still scorched his heart, he forcefully bowed his head and pushed himself up off the cretin he'd just sent to death's doorstep. The blood flecking his face was soon washed away by all of the salty sweat running down his cheekbones. At least, he hoped it was sweat…

Determined now to get Parker out of her predicament, the first thing he did was allow her the one ability that she had been denied thus far. Taking the filthy barrier out of her mouth, Parker all but choked up as she tried telling Eliot not to murder the guy _. Yet._

Except the only thing she could get out was "Eliot, don't."

Stifling a desperate little laugh at the thought of how she must sound more like an E.T. than a Parker, she repeated the phrase again and again – trying to get her point past the Eliot's defenses.

Lucky for the thief, he knew exactly what she was trying to say without her actually saying it. After all, he'd had lots of practice listening to the woman talk with her mouth full of food – spitting crumbs everywhere with each syllable.

A twinge of guilt at that happy thought brought everything crashing down around him as he once more felt the need to turn around and rip out Caden's throat.

But the thief's pleading eyes were even faster than his hands. They held him in place, begging him not to do anything stupid – no matter how much the creep deserved it.

The only thing the hitter could do was glare away his dissent before finally crumbling in silent resignation; touching his forehead to her own and letting the tears flow freely. As much as he wanted to ignore that request, he just couldn't tell Parker no.

With a mere look, she had conveyed that their killing days were over. And in return, he was able to come back to himself – letting Parker know that her wellbeing was far more important to him than revenge.

At the last possible second, he pulled away from her and stood – wiping a hand over his face. Now wasn't the time for weakness or regret. He had a duty to his teammates, and he intended to see it through.

Only when the hitter was good and satisfied that Parker was at least physically okay, did he begin to rifle around for the key to the handcuffs that would free the thief from her prison.

Although the thief had specifically ordered him not to take the guy out, she hadn't said one word about maiming the guy for life. Parker smiled as she seemingly read his mind. Closing her eyes, she breathed the word: "Now" just loud enough for Eliot to hear. He couldn't help himself as he smirked in agreement.

With permission now granted, the hitter aimed one final kick at Caden's crotch, brutally jamming his foot into the rapist's family jewels – and making damn sure Caden never used his favorite body part again.


	6. Call Me A Thief (Clean Version)

**REVISED CHAPTER 5 (CLEAN VERSION)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage or its characters. Dean Devlin and TNT do. So don't sue.**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm very sorry about the rating issues. I wrote the first version of Chapter 5 (Call Me A Thief) without my audience in mind. So if you're under age or simply just don't want the messiness of what is described in the first cut of Chapter 5, then please read this version instead. Minimal to no cursing and nothing sexually crosses the line. Also dialogue has been toned down as well. Hope this helps! If anything else needs editing due to content, feel free to leave a comment or suggestion. The original version is still up, so I will leave which one you choose to read to your discretion.**

 **Song Suggestions:**

 **Part One: Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson**

 **Part Two: Thief – Ansel**

 **Part Three: I'd Come for You - Nickelback**

* * *

PART ONE: Smooth Criminal

From the back of the room, Parker heard the office door slam and knew it meant trouble. Spinning around, she had mere seconds to react as Caden's security team stormed into the office, effectively separating her from Sophie. The only thing louder than the grifter's protests was the click of the lock as she was shoved out the door.

Although Parker had known from the beginning that it wasn't "Alexa" Caden wanted, Sophie's gamble had just proven their case. The con part of the mission was over. Now was the time to fight.

She told herself all she had to do was keep away from the red door of doom. But that was going to be easier said than done. Trying to remain calm, she recited plans B through E in her head – debating which to resort to.

Plan B: con the mark into letting her go.

Plan C: grab one of those nasty sex toys to use as a weapon.

Plan D: use said weapon to stay away from the needle the mark was oh-so-cleverly trying to hide behind his back

Plan E: Pinch the needle and inject someone else with it first.

And if that failed, her only other option was plan E: Stay alive long enough for Eliot to find her.

The hitter was her best bet and if he didn't get to her in time, she would relish his help with plan M: killing Hardison for not tracking her fast enough.

As the security guards surrounded her, the smug smile on Caden's face grew impossibly large. The jackass knew he had her cornered, but that didn't stop Parker from putting up one hell of a fight. In a last ditch effort to save herself, the slippery thief went postal.

Her arms and legs kept shifting out of the holds they tried to put her in. She spat. She bit. She clawed. She went for the eyes and groin. She tried copying moves that Eliot had shown her over and over again.

The hitter would have been proud. Four of the seven guards were down for the count, and the other half were having trouble laying a hand on her. Taking a chance at an opening, she jerked herself towards the wall to grab a weapon, making one fatal mistake. She left her side open long enough for Caden to jam that damned needle straight into the side of her stomach.

As Parker twisted violently to avoid it, her lithe frame seized up and she fell straight to the floor. Nobody bothered to break her fall, instead letting her body succumb to the impact of its own dead weight. There was literally nothing she could do as she busted her head on the carpeted concrete.

Thankfully, she remained conscious enough to know what was going on. The remaining guards yanked her up by the roots of her hair and forced her to climb to her feet. She tried using gravity to her advantage, but it didn't do much good. They forced her down into a chair without even bothering to use restraints.

It was the ultimate insult for the enraged thief. Granted, there hadn't been a pair of handcuffs invented that Parker couldn't weasel her way out off, but they didn't even consider her enough of a threat to bother. The only thing they cared about was her lack of immunity to the effects of an unknown drug – a drug meant for paralysis. Not unconsciousness.

Meaning Parker was aware of exactly what was going on while remaining hopelessly unable to do anything about it. She didn't even have the ability to squirm as Caden leaned over her, dragging his eyes down over her breasts before stopping just South of her Pole.

Without a care in the world, the pig in a tuxedo finally bent over and did what he'd been wanting to do to her all night.

Parker's heart flipped as the mask was ripped right off her face. Recognition dawned over the Caden's loathsome features seconds before he lost it.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" He yelled, spraying her face with spit. "You're that FREAK from the BAR! WHAT are you doing HERE? Don't tell me you didn't get ENOUGH the _FIRST_ TIME!

Parker scowled, saying it all with her slow burning eyes.

The moron ignored that first (and only) warning as Parker forced herself to focus on the words coming to her brokenly over the com link - the first words she'd heard from anyone since being locked up with Mr. Happy Pants.

Eliot was calling over and over, commanding her to respond. But, she couldn't without giving herself away. So she closed her eyes, focusing on every last word the hitter had to say.

"Parker? PARKER! I KNOW you can hear me. LISTEN TO ME DAMMIT! I'm coming for you. Do you hear me? I'M COMING! And I SWEAR that I am NOT gonna stop until I find you. I just need you to do one thing for me. ONE. THING. I need you to STAY AWAKE for me Parker, okay? I MEAN IT. DON'T LET THOSE BASTARDS KNOCK YOU OUT! I'm on my way. So just wait for me. Okay? OKAY?"

As softly as she could, she breathed out her answer before Caden launched into yet another tirade. A tirade, which he apparently assumed was his God given right. Parker only hoped Eliot could hear every word considering the idiot was shouting loud enough to wake the dead. Never mind that dead is what he would be once Eliot got his hands on him.

"Oh, _NOW_ I get it. _YOU_ and your LITTLE _FRIEND_ were trying pull a fast one on me! ON _ME!?_ YOU'D better tell me WHAT you BOTH were doing HERE and _EXACTLY_ what _YOU_ planned to do!"

Parker could practically feel her savior seething through the silence.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Caden demanded, completely oblivious to the fact he was fulfilling his own death wish. Parker felt the resulting slap sting both her cheeks when she refused to answer.

"Well, the tables have turned _NOW_! You're gonna be _MY_ woman for the night. And I'm REALLYgonna _ENJOY_ giving you the ROYAL treatment. I'm gonna show you what HAPPENS to ANYONE who tells _ME_ no."

The mark's unforgiving words sent chills up and down Parker's spine, even as Eliot's breathed life back into her. She saw now that it was up to her to keep the mark talking – to get a confession by any means necessary. Because it wasn't just herself she was fighting for – she was fighting for all the women who'd been forced into this position before her.

No one was aware of this more than Eliot, and his words were the only thing Parker had left to hold on to. She may have become the team's eyes and ears – but Eliot still spoke for every last one of them with his fists. And he was coming for her. Together, they would make every last one of these assholes pay for their crimes against humanity.

* * *

 **PART TWO: CALL ME A THIEF**

Parker's vision was blurrier than the day she'd gotten hit on. Yet, she fought to keep her eyes open – determined to keep her promise. She could feel herself being jerked around. Could hear that godforsaken door being opened. But she couldn't make her body move.

As Caden cuffed her hands and feet to an uncomfortable wooden bed, she tried to contort the bones and muscles to make a way out. Cold steel bit into her skin as she tried to elongate her fingers only to have them fall limp and curl back inwards. Even the bobby pin she'd hidden in her hair was out of her reach.

Her only hope was to keep Caden talking. If she could just get a confession over the earbuds, Hardison would be able to record every last gory detail. In her head, she imagined Eliot and Sophie talking her through the whole thing. Saying things like "keep his mouth running" and "we're gonna get him locked up for life"

 _Was it just her imagination? Or were her friends actually talking to her?_ Parker couldn't tell anymore. Lucky for her, this super colossal jerk _really_ liked to talk – and, he didn't exactly need much encouragement to simultaneously brag on himself and dig a hole for his ego at the same time.

"You know, you never can trust the pretty ones." He taunted, breathing his stank breath up Parker's nostrils as he leaned over her, snapping the last cuff into place. "Tell me _Amber_ , what was it that made you come back for more?"

"Probably your big mouth." She tried to mumble, only no sound came out.

"Don't worry." The bastard mused, laughing at her predicament. "That drug won't last forever. You'll be able to talk soon. Maybe if you're good, I won't have to give you a second dose."

"Pervert!" She spat.

Caden just chuckled and stuck his nose directly in front of her face – a fraction shy of biting range.

"You know, not many women are brave enough to turn me down and _then_ seduce me for information. Let alone bring someone else into it. Had I known I was being played, I would have been a little more careful to hang on to the both of you."

"WHY?!" Parker tried to half scream.

But Caden just kept going. "You see, my clients pay me obscene amounts of money for the most beautiful women I can find. So _maybe_ I have to scout a few bars and do a little convincing…but no one has _ever_ turned me down before. The money's just too good."

"You know, it really is a shame." Caden mused as he proceeded to slather the side of her cheek with his mouth. "I could have made you a rich woman. All of my girls make a damn good living off of what I can provide. Sure, some get tired of it, but I always know how to put them in their place. Just like I'm about to do with you – and your little friend as soon as she is apprehended. Neither of you are going to make it out of here alive."

The disgusted thief couldn't get away fast enough. She really hoped he kept up his rant because a wagging tongue was way better than one that licked.

The thief's mind went blank as she took a deep breath and willed her brain to take her some place else. Somewhere safe…

Just as he was about to shove his tongue into places it was never meant to go, an enraged fist collided with the side of the man's newly broken nose. Landing on the floor with a loud thunk, Caden had just enough time to crane his neck upwards and see his worst nightmare come to life.

* * *

 **PART THREE: I'D COME FOR YOU**

Eliot Spencer, owner of said fist, stood over the mark, taking a sadistic pleasure as the pig started snorting up blood through his snout.

"Looks like you're gonna be the one begging _**ME**_ for favors, _ASSHOLE_." Eliot threatened, deliberately placing himself in front of Parker and blocking the mark's view. The horrible smirk that covered the hitter's face was the only indication of what this low life had coming.

In the two minutes it had taken for him to bust down both doors, this lunatic had been busy trying to get down and dirty with his thief. Eliot's timing had never been more crucial.

Although the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Parker by staring - he just couldn't shake the image of his best friend and teammate laying on her back, while the soon-to-be-dead mark leered over her, greedily taking her in.

He only hoped keeping his back to her would help them both stay calm. But as he got his first good look around the room, he realized how hard that was going to be. He'd been in some of the sketchiest places in the America – all while serving his country – but there were contraptions and devices that even he'd never seen before.

Such things didn't look like they were intended for anyone's "pleasure" – and he was pretty sure none of the women who'd seen the inside of this room were willing occupants.

He damn sure knew Parker wasn't.

And that meant **NO ONE** was getting out of this room in one piece.

The army of guards who might have come to Caden's assistance, were already knocked out cold in the outer office, and Eliot didn't care whether they were dead or not. Those idiots had been listening to the entire exchange while laughing at Parker's predicament - completely unprepared for the full-blown fight he had surprised them with.

They looked about as bewildered as Caden did now.

As Eliot came back to himself, he realized the cause of his anger was sitting on the floor, cursing and trying to get back up again. _Just like at the bar…_

A quick chop to the vocal chords and Caden was back on the ground, holding his throat. The mark lost the ability to talk right before Eliot could hone in on what he'd been trying to say.

Truth be told, the hitter had some things to say himself – things he'd wanted to say ever since the night Caden had made Parker cry. And damn it all if this guy wasn't going to shut up and listen.

"I oughta snap your neck right here." He warned. "But I want you to actually hear me when I'm talking to you. Aside from the fact that you're a complete sicko, you've made a couple of mistakes that I'm not about to take lying down. Your first mistake was thinking you could make a living off women so desperate for cash they thought they could trust _you_ to protect them. But your last mistake? Well, that was trying to hurt my friend."

"Can't say she didn't deserve it." Caden spat while Eliot struggled to keep his inner animal in check.

He purposefully brought his thoughts back to Parker, trying to keep his cool. Just because he refused to look at her didn't mean he couldn't see what she was going through.

The mere sight of her, completely at another man's mercy without any kind of leverage at all, made him unbearably sick - and he knew if it was that bad for him, it had to be fifty times worse for Parker. What sealed the deal, though, were the silent tears he'd seen dripping down his friend's face because she was unable to move, talk, or even go to him for comfort. It made the whole situation inexcusable and he couldn't stop the onslaught of emotions that washed over him uninvited – moving and sloshing around until something inside of him broke.

Before the hitter even knew what he was doing, Caden was getting his face smashed in while Eliot turned back into the animal he was trying so hard not to be. The only consequence that mattered to him was taking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Two broken limbs and a concussion later, Parker began to realize she either had to regain her ability to speak, or let the hitter to go down for first-degree murder.

Personally she wanted Caden to die a horrible nasty death, too - but not at the expense of Eliot's freedom. Like it or not, she needed the hitter around, and she couldn't do a thing if he ended up in jail over something that needed be handled in a more Nate-like fashion.

The more Parker tried to open her mouth and make sound come out, the more her body began to come alive. At first the hitter couldn't hear her past the blood pounding away in his eardrums, but somehow the faint sounds of muffled yells made it through the thud of his fists.

Caden was already out cold by the time Eliot finally cocked his head towards Parker and saw his friend trying to get his attention. Squeezing his eyes shut against the homicidal rage that still scorched his heart, he forcefully bowed his head and pushed himself up off the cretin he'd just tried to send to death's door.

Parker all but choked up as she tried telling Eliot not to murder the guy _._ Except the only words she could manage to get out was "Eliot, don't."

Stifling a misplaced laugh at the thought of how she must sound more like an E.T. than a Parker, she repeated the phrase again and again – trying to get her point past the hitter's primal defenses.

Lucky for Parker, her friend knew exactly what she was trying to say without hearing the actual words. After all, he'd had lots of practice listening to the woman talk with her mouth full of food – spitting crumbs all over the place with each syllable.

A twinge of guilt at that happy thought brought everything crashing down around him as he once again felt the need to turn back around and rip out Caden's throat.

But the thief's pleading eyes were faster than his hands could ever hope to be. They held him in place, begging him not to do anything stupid – no matter how much the creep deserved it. And as much as he wanted to ignore that request, he just couldn't tell Parker no.

The only thing the hitter could do was glare away his dissent before finally crumbling in silent resignation; touching his forehead to her own and letting the tears flow freely.

With a mere look, she conveyed to him that their killing days were over. So much so that he was able to come back to himself – letting Parker know that her wellbeing was far more important to him than mere revenge.

At the last possible second, he pulled away from her and stood – wiping a hand over his face. Now wasn't the time for weakness or regret. He had a duty to his teammates, and he intended to see it through.

Only when Eliot was good and satisfied that his thief was okay did he rifle around for the key to the handcuffs that would free Parker from her prison.

Although she had specifically ordered him not to take the guy out, she hadn't said one word about maiming Caden for life. Thus, the hitter took it upon himself to make sure the lowlife would never use his favorite body part again. It was only after doing so that he finally felt like he had completed his part of the mission - keeping Parker safe.


End file.
